Petition launched to Stop Proposed Ban on wild-caught fish in Belgium

Biologist and Fish Disease specialist Gerald Bassleer has launched a petition to stop a proposed ban on the import and trade of wild-caught ornamental fish in Flanders, Belgium. If activated the ban would affect freshwater and marine fish, hobbyists, retailers, wholesalers, fish importers, as well as those overseas who make a sustainable living from catching and exporting wild-caught ornamental fish. 

“The proposed law by local authorities in Flanders, Belgium, threatens not just my personal passion for ornamental fish and the local aquarium industry, but also the livelihoods of humble fishermen.” Says Gerald Bassleer. “These fishermen and their families rely heavily on their natural resources to make a living, collecting ornamental fish sustainably using their hands and fishing nets. They are in jeopardy due to the prospective ban on importing and trading wild-caught ornamental fish.”

“This can have an impact and risk of a ban on trade in all European countries!”

Previous proposed ban

This isn’t the first time that such a ban has been proposed either. In as recently as 2021 Ornamental Fish International (OFI), the European Pet Organisation (EPO), Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA), and DIBEVO wrote a joint letter opposing an almost identical ban for Flanders/Belgium highlighting the unforeseen negative consequences, the number of people and livelihoods it could affect, as well as many untruths about wild collection. The ban proposal was successfully quashed, but at the end of 2024, the proposal is back again. 

Sign the petition 

Gerald Bassleer has started a petition on Change.org, and is asking the fishkeeping community for support. You can find the petition here.